Scum Gong Walks the Career Line in the Crematorium

Gu Shi was born in humble circumstances and had no formal education. However, it was precisely because of his background that he seemed exceptionally skilled at dealing with people and had a near-acute intuition about others.

He seemed to have an innate understanding of how to find a person’s vulnerabilities and use them to his advantage.

Lin Hanchuan felt sorry for Gu Shi for all the hardships he had endured over the years. He also wanted Gu Shi to become the emperor because the current Little Emperor Zhao Yuan’s life was not expected to last much longer. However, deep down, Lin Hanchuan was also questioning whether what he was doing was right.

He had allowed Su Congyu to provide strict education to Gu Shi, but even amidst that strictness, he couldn’t help but feel pity for him.

He wanted to make up for it, but he didn’t know if what he was offering was what Gu Shi truly needed. He wanted to make Gu Shi happy, but he worried that his actions might upset him. Lin Hanchuan had always been decisive, but with this person, he felt hesitations he had never felt before.

However, now it seemed that even if Gu Shi’s knowledge was not high, his ability to judge and utilize people was more than enough to be an emperor.

After all… the person in charge of a company didn’t need a high degree; they just needed to manage their subordinates well.

“Wangye…” Gu Shi looked at Lin Hanchuan blankly, his gaze somewhat dazed.

Lin Hanchuan restrained the smile on his face and said, “Ah Shi, you are even more outstanding than I imagined.”

He had underestimated Gu Shi.

Gu Shi didn’t know why he suddenly received such praise, and he felt a bit embarrassed. He lowered his head shyly and quickly looked up at Lin Hanchuan. “I can’t compare to Wangye. Wangye is the best.”

Lin Hanchuan just thought of it as flattery and didn’t take it to heart. He led Gu Shi back to the mansion, asking him along the way about his discoveries and gains during this period.

The gains were even bigger than Lin Hanchuan had imagined. Gu Shi had even gathered some confidential information from the loose-lipped dandy heirs.

Although these dandy heirs were usually looked down upon by others and ambitious people didn’t bother with them, they were still the offspring of influential officials. Being influenced by their surroundings, even their fathers would have relaxed moments with their closest family members. No matter how tense their nerves were in other situations, it was impossible to remain so tense at home. They would always reveal some information unintentionally.

Gu Shi managed to get them to spill these secrets and then extracted the useful parts, organizing them into a network of connections in his mind.

After hearing everything Gu Shi had to say, they happened to arrive at the entrance of the Regent King’s residence. Lin Hanchuan sighed, “Everyone hides secrets behind them.”

Lin Hanchuan deeply agreed with that sentiment. He glanced around, and perceptive servants quickly withdrew, leaving Lin Hanchuan alone with Gu Shi. He looked at Gu Shi and asked slowly, “Ah Shi, now that the Little Emperor is critically ill and won’t last long, when do you want to return to your roots?”

Return to your roots! Gu Shi’s eyes lit up, but then dimmed again.

Lin Hanchuan was a little puzzled, “Aren’t you happy to return?”

Am I not happy? Gu Shi’s mind went blank as he pondered.

In the past, Gu Shi would have been happy. He had yearned for a powerful father who could help him drive away the troublesome kids around him, find food for him, and prevent him from starving.

However, after Lin Hanchuan appeared, Gu Shi realized that the father he had imagined was not as good as Lin Hanchuan.

Gu Shi felt a bit reluctant. It seemed that he not only wanted a father-son relationship but also desperately desired a legitimate position by Lin Hanchuan’s side.

These two desires were clashing in his mind, and he couldn’t tell which one would win.

Without any servants around, Lin Hanchuan touched Gu Shi’s head and earnestly advised, “In a couple of days, I want you to appear in front of others. Don’t worry, I’ll be there for you.”

Gu Shi silently nodded. He didn’t say anything.

Lin Hanchuan didn’t notice Gu Shi’s internal struggle. Feeling like he had just made an important decision, he let out a long sigh of relief.

Leaving Gu Shi looking somewhat lost.

Lin Hanchuan smiled and affectionately ruffled Gu Shi’s hair. “At that time, Mr. Su will teach you some etiquette. Go and learn.”

After that, Lin Hanchuan talked a lot, but Gu Shi only vaguely heard his voice, like a distant echo. He felt an inexplicable mixture of awkward happiness and bitterness.

Now that he had made a decision, Lin Hanchuan acted quickly.

In just a few days, rumors began to circulate in the capital, claiming that the late Emperor Zhao Jun had left a descendant outside the palace, and the Regent King had found this descendant, planning to present him at the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.

As time passed, these rumors spread far and wide and became more and more convincing, as if they were true. Originally skeptical commoners began to believe them to some extent, deciding to wait and see what would happen at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.

Of course, Gu Shi also heard these rumors, but he didn’t pay much attention to them. He even found it strange. If there really was a descendant of the late emperor living in the Regent King’s residence for so long, why hadn’t he encountered them?

“Brother Gu, since you know the Regent King, do you know if this descendant is real?” one of the dandy heirs asked curiously.

Gu Shi’s mood had not been good these days, and his tone was neither cold nor warm as he replied, “I don’t know.”

“Brother Gu, could it be… that you are that descendant?” another person asked cautiously.

Gu Shi squinted his eyes, looking unhappy. “It’s not me.”

The outsiders might not know, but how could Gu Shi not know? He was the Regent King’s child, brought back to the palace by the Regent King himself. He wasn’t some mysterious prince of unknown origin.

“I told you, Brother Gu doesn’t look like a prince,” relieved, the group of dandy heirs finally put their minds at ease. “If you were a prince, we wouldn’t be able to come out and play so casually.”

Gu Shi thought for a moment, shaking his head with a lost look in his eyes. “Unfortunately, I’m not.”

“Brother Gu, don’t be upset. Even though you’re not a prince, it’s better this way. Look at those ancient princes, where did any of them end up?”

“I think being a prince is just a rumor. Rumors should not be fully trusted.”

The people around him tried their best to comfort Gu Shi, whose mood was not too great, using their unique ways to console him.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet arrived.

For ordinary people, the Mid-Autumn Festival was nothing more than spending time with family, eating mooncakes, admiring the full moon, and enjoying the warmth of being with loved ones. But for the royal family, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet had become a symbol.

The royal family held the banquet within the palace, and only high-ranking officials with their lawful wives and legitimate sons were eligible to attend, portraying a harmonious relationship between ruler and subject.

When Emperor Zhao Jun was alive, he was especially impatient with these cumbersome formalities. Every time, he would only show up briefly and then leave immediately, even taking away his junior general Qi Changfeng, leaving the entire banquet for the Empress and the Crown Prince to handle.

This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was organized solely by Lin Hanchuan because the Empress Dowager had been implicated in the poisoning of the Emperor and was banished to the cold palace.

Too many things had happened this year, causing everyone in the court to be on edge. Many powerful families had been uprooted, resulting in fewer people attending the banquet than in previous years. However, Lin Hanchuan didn’t mind, as this kind of banquet was more symbolic than anything else.

It was like a company gathering in the modern world.

Early in the morning, Lin Hanchuan woke up Gu Shi and had him put on a special black formal outfit. The black clothes looked noble and restrained, suppressing the lingering frivolity that Gu Shi had.

Lin Hanchuan was quite satisfied with this outfit, but Su Congyu felt that the all-black attire was too deep and oppressive, and he wasn’t entirely satisfied.

Ignoring Su Congyu’s opinion, Lin Hanchuan smiled and looked at Gu Shi. “Very good, handsome and elegant, like a dragon and phoenix.”

Embarrassed by the praise, Gu Shi blushed slightly and shyly pursed his lips. He knew that today was the day when the Regent King would publicly reveal his identity. Last night, he couldn’t sleep for a long time, tossing and turning, which resulted in oversleeping this morning, leaving faint dark circles under his eyes.

Gu Shi looked at himself in the mirror, feeling dissatisfied no matter how he looked. His figure was still too thin, and he seemed somewhat dispirited. Even his hair lacked vitality…

The more Gu Shi looked, the more nervous he became.

“Don’t be afraid,” Lin Hanchuan gently held Gu Shi’s hand, making this the first intimate gesture he had ever made towards Gu Shi since arriving in this world.

Gu Shi’s fluttering heart settled down, and he forced a smile. “I’m not afraid.”

His palms were sweaty, but Lin Hanchuan didn’t expose him. “Hmm, you’re not afraid.”

Gu Shi turned his head to hide his feelings, leaving behind reddening ears.

It only took half an hour to travel from the Regent King’s residence to the imperial palace. As they entered the palace, Lin Hanchuan’s once tender gaze turned completely cold. With the young man behind him, he walked step by step toward the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet he had personally arranged.

It was the first time Gu Shi attended such a grand banquet, and his heart pounded like thunder. He imitated Lin Hanchuan’s posture, standing tall and straight, avoiding eye contact.

“The Regent King is late,” a weak voice at the top said with a smile. “This is a family banquet, and the Regent King shouldn’t act so high and mighty. Being this late, he should be punished with three cups of wine.”

The people around also laughed, and the atmosphere seemed very harmonious. However, Gu Shi could sense the hidden complexities beneath these smiles and the countless fiery or scrutinizing gazes directed at him.

Feeling uncomfortable under all the scrutiny, Gu Shi suddenly raised his head and looked at the person who had originally spoken with sarcasm.

That young man sat at the top, also dressed in black elegant attire, but his outfit was much more exquisite and luxurious than Gu Shi’s. He appeared quite imposing, but his face was extremely pale. Even from this distance, Gu Shi could see the sunken cheeks and the knotted fingers gripping the wine glass.

Anyone who saw this skeletal-like young man would be startled.

“We’ve known each other for so long, but I’ve never heard that the Regent King already has a legitimate son,” Zhao Yuan said coldly, looking at Gu Shi with a faint smile that seemed more like a sneer.